Published

Mar 19, 2008

Updated

Jun 5, 2008

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By Ben Morse
Every week, a secret cabal of Marvel staffers gathers to discuss the best of the best when it comes to the House of Ideas.
This time around, the Secret Cabal decided to have some fun and think back on all the great series that have come and gone over Marvel's six plus decades and choose which ones they felt deserved another shot at the big time. As a bonus this week, individual Cabal members wrote testimonial for some of their personal picks. And of course, for each candidate, you also get a special spotlight comic courtesy of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
As always, these picks reflect the personal choices of the Secret Cabal, not the official opinion of Marvel or Marvel.com, and can be considered subjective at best. Enjoy!

10. INVADERSPrevious Runs:INVADERS (1975-1979), NEW INVADERS (2004-2005)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "Enjoying THE TWELVE? Whether the answer is yes or no, there's no question nostalgia rocks, and never harder when it comes to Marvel's Golden Age titanic trio of Captain America, Namor and the original Human Torch. With the success Ed Brubaker has had mining WWII material in CAPTAIN AMERICA, this should be a gimme." –Secret Cabal member Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic:INVADERS ANNUAL #1 The Invaders battle Nazi super-villains with the assistance of the time-traveling Avengers.

9. DAZZLERPrevious Runs: DAZZLER (1981-1985)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "Does this really need any explanation? Enchantress! Doom! Galactus! Roller Skates! A movie!!! Who else in the Marvel U has had a biopic? No one! Canceled right when it was getting good—and after being trained by the X-Men…and defeating them—the exploits of Alison Blaire were carried on in the pages of UNCANNY X-MEN until she ran off to settle down. But this songbird is a free spirit and she must fly. Her powers have never properly been used to their greatest extent, nor has Marvel's only diva been given her real chance to—pun alert—shine. I know why this caged bird sings…she needs her ongoing series!!!" –Secret Cabal member RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic:UNCANNY X-MEN #130 Dazzler makes her star-studded debut, aiding the X-Men against the Hellfire Club.

8. NEW MUTANTSPrevious Runs:NEW MUTANTS v1 (1983-1991)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "More than just X-Babies, this group found themselves thrust into the roles of Xavier's only defenders at a time when their mentor thought the X-Men dead. Once the X-Men were found alive, this team of Xavier's next generation stayed together, forging a bond closer than any class that has ever walked the halls of the Institute for Higher Learning. They have all since gone on to be members of various X-teams, but their bond still remains. There is something magical about this group, a balance that has not been found since. Most of them have no home title at the moment, so it is time for the New Mutants to come together again and show the world what it means to be X-Men!" –RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic:NEW MUTANTS v1 #13 Magma joins the team as the original New Mutants feud with Kitty Pryde of the X-Men.

7. HAWKEYEPrevious Runs: AVENGERS SPOTLIGHT (1987-1991), HAWKEYE (2003)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "As fans saw in our last Take 10, few Avengers surpass the popularity of Hawkeye, so it'd be great to see Clint Barton in a new series. He's been through a lot since his death and resurrection, including taking on the Ronin identity, so it's the perfect time to get inside the mind of the coolest Marvel hero!" –Secret Cabal member OneManDynasty
Spotlight Comic:HAWKEYE #1 Out of costume and on his own, Clint Barton hits the open road in search of adventure and finds no shortage of damsels in distress.

6. DOCTOR STRANGEPrevious Runs:STRANGE TALES v1 (1963-1968), DOCTOR STRANGE v1 (1968-1969), DOCTOR STRANGE v2 (1974-1987), STRANGE TALES v2 (1987-1988), DOCTOR STRANGE v3 (1988-1996)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "There's a whole radical realm of magic and mysticism lurking on the outskirts of the Marvel Universe waiting to be explored, and who better to serve as a tour guide than Dr. Strange? Brian K. Vaughan showed what a multi-faceted character Doc could be in THE OATH and Brian Michael Bendis made him shine in NEW AVENGERS, but we want a monthly fix of Strange!" –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic:DOCTOR STRANGE v1 #169 Relive the origin of Dr. Strange as Stephen Strange seeks out the Ancient One and becomes Earth's Sorcerer Supremes.

5. CLOAK & DAGGERPrevious Runs: CLOAK & DAGGER v1 (1985-1987), STRANGE TALES v2 (1987-1988), CLOAK & DAGGER v2 (1988-1991)
Learn More …here and hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "The original runaways, the teens who would come to be known as Cloak & Dagger may not have had a choice in being experimented upon, but finding their lives forever changed and eternally entwined, they did have a choice as to what side they would fall on: angels or demons. After CIVIL WAR, these two are now on the run again—it's high time we check in them again as they bring the light and expose the darkness that lies in all of us!" –RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic:MARVEL KNIGHTS #2 Cloak & Dagger join Daredevil, the Punisher, Black Widow and other against Ulik.

4. NAMOR THE SUB-MARINERPrevious Runs:SUB-MARINER COMICS (1941-1955), TALES TO ASTONISH v1 (1965-1968), SUB-MARINER (1968-1974), NAMOR THE SUB-MARINER (1990-1995), NAMOR (2003-2004)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "Namor has so much going for him as a protagonist: regal demeanor, tremendous power, loads of responsibility and he does not play well with others. His interactions with just about any other character in the Marvel Universe make for great action, drama, comedy, etc. He definitely deserves a monthly platform where we can follow his challenges trying to lead his people and enjoy his dustups with every hero within swimming distance." –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic:SUB-MARINER #1 Namor recounts his origin as he battles the menace of Destiny.

3. ALPHA FLIGHTPrevious Runs:ALPHA FLIGHT v1 (1983-1994), ALPHA FLIGHT v2 (1997-1999), ALPHA FLIGHT v3 (2004-2005)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "Alpha Flight broadened the Marvel Universe, adding a truly global feel by examining how heroes in other countries operated and tapping into the rich mythology of Canada. We've already seen Canada's new super team in OMEGA FLIGHT, so it'd be great to see another incarnation of the originals!" –OneManDynasty
Spotlight Comic:ALPHA FLIGHT v1 #1 Canada's premiere super team in their first ever solo adventure.

2. MARVEL TEAM-UPPrevious Runs: MARVEL TEAM-UP v1 (1972-1985), MARVEL TEAM-UP v2 (1997-1998), MARVEL TEAM-UP v3 (2004-2006)
Why It Should Be Brought Back: "Who doesn't love seeing our favorite heroes join forces? MARVEL TEAM-UP was the perfect place to do this and every incarnation of the series has been pure joy, as the Marvel Universe's best and brightest—as well as the under-appreciated—joined forces for adventures you can't get anywhere else." –OneManDynasty
Spotlight Comic:MARVEL TEAM-UP v3 #10 Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Daredevil and Moon Knight all tam up to take on a cosmically-powered Ringmaster.

1. NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D.Previous Runs:SGT. FURY AND HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS (1963-1981), STRANGE TALES v1 (1965-1968), NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. v1 (1968-1969), NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. v2 (1989-1993)
Learn More …hereWhy It Should Be Brought Back: "The success of movies like 'The Bourne Ultimatum' and the resurgence of James Bond shows that society's fascination with the world of espionage has peaked once more, which makes total sense given that spies rock! And it just so happens that Marvel has one of the toughest, coolest secret agents around in the form of one Nick Fury. The former Howling Commando honcho has been laying low of late, but when he inevitably returns, let's see him out from behind the desk of S.H.I.E.L.D. and back out in the field kicking ass and taking names on missions with high stakes, cool gadgets and hot ladies!" –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic:STRANGE TALES v1 #135 Nick Fury joins S.H.I.E.L.D.